Minister for Foreign Affairs Emma Bonino met today in Rome with foreign minister of the Republic of Ghana Hanna Tetteh in the margins of the International Board of Women in Diplomacy Committee. Their meeting, which followed upon one they had held in September in New York during the 68th UNGA, centred on political, security and defence collaboration and economic relations.
The ministers agreed on the excellent status of Italo-Ghanian relations, and Minister Bonino thanked her guest for Ghana’s collaboration in the case of the murder of Mrs. Bellunato.
Minister Bonino, who underscored Ghana’s active role in the region, thanks to its achievement of domestic stability within a framework of democratisation, also exchanged information with Minister Tetteh on the security and stability framework of the African continent. The ministers examined Italy’s proposal to negotiate a defence accord and to renew a police collaboration accord that expired in 2012, touching also on the effective management of the migration phenomenon.
Ministers Bonino and Tetteh ageed on the need to strengthen dialogue with African partners on issues concerning the workings of the International Criminal Court.
They then turned to strengthening bilateral economic ties, agreeing on the possible large-scale business opportunities existing in the sectors of oil, transport infrastructure, agriculture, fishing, waste management, construction and furnishings. Finally, they examined several aspects of projects financed by Italy for the launch and development of SMEs in Ghana.
